drafting

draft

a first or preliminary form of any writing, subject to revision, copying, etc.

3.

act of drawing; delineation.

4.

a current of air in any enclosed space, especially in a room, chimney, or stove.

5.

a current of air moving in an upward or downward direction.

6.

a device for regulating the current of air in a stove, fireplace, etc.

7.

an act of drawing or pulling loads.

8.

something that is drawn or pulled; a haul.

9.

an animal or team of animals used to pull a load.

10.

the force required to pull a load.

11.

the taking of supplies, forces, money, etc., from a given source.

12.

a selection or drawing of persons, by lot or otherwise, from the general body of the people for military service; levy; conscription.

13.

the persons so selected.

14.

Sports. a selecting or drawing of new players from a choice group of amateur players by professional teams, especially a system of selecting new players so that each team in a professional league receives some of the most promising players.

15.

British. a selection of persons already in military service to be sent from one post or organization to another; detachment.

16.

a written order drawn by one person upon another; a writing directing the payment of money on account of the drawer; bill of exchange.

Nautical. the depth to which a vessel is immersed when bearing a given load.

23.

Also called leave. Metallurgy. the slight taper given to a pattern so that it may be drawn from the sand without injury to the mold.

24.

Metalworking.

the change in sectional area of a piece of work caused by a rolling or drawing operation.

a taper on a die or punch permitting it to be withdrawn readily from the work.

25.

Masonry. a line or border chiseled at the edge of a stone, to serve as a guide in leveling the surfaces.

26.

Textiles.

the degree of attenuation produced in fibers during yarn processing, expressed either by the ratio of the weight of raw to the weight of processed fiber, or by the ratio between the varying surface speeds of the rollers on the carding machine.

draft

n.

c.1500, spelling variant of draught (q.v.) to reflect change in pronunciation. Among the senses that have gone with this form of the word in American English, the meaning "rough copy of a writing" (something "drawn") is attested from 14c.; that of "preliminary sketch from which a final copy is made" is from 1520s; that of "flow of a current of air" is from c.1770. Of beer from the 1830s, in reference to the method of "drawing" it from the cask. Sense in bank draft is from 1745. The meaning "a drawing off a group for special duty" is from 1703, in U.S. especially of military service; the verb in this sense first recorded 1714. Related: Drafted; drafting.

draft definition

draft definition

A system for selecting young men for compulsory military service, administered in the United States by the Selective Service System. At present the United States relies on a volunteer military and does not have a draft, though young men are required by law to register with the Selective Service. (See alsoconscientious objectoranddraft dodger.)

draft

verb

To drive close behind a vehicle so as to be drawn by reduced air pressure: The point person takes on the wind, allowing those behind him to draft and save as much as 20% of their energy(1970s+ Car racing)